Twerpette (named for my dachshund Molley, the original twerpette or "goofy girl") seeks to tweak the long nose of life with humor, affection, and gravitas. Topics include dating and relationships, faith and spirituality, language and writing, journalism, technology, arts, academe, whimsy and humanity. Cheeky and tweaky, Twerpette is rated PG13 for mature language and themes. This weblog began May 10, 2005. Copyright 2005-2016 Steve Deyo.

Friday, August 26, 2005

Email: On or off the bus [LG]

A technology writer writes about technology: in my case, product catalogs, websites, white papers, stuff like that. A technical writer writes product specifications and documentation, but I do more: I put technology into a business context. It's important not to tell customers all the technology that a techie wants to know, but only as much as a customer wants to know. Besides that, I work at a high level and translate the broader business mission and technology vision into language that customers can understand, whether they are a chief, upper- or mid-level executive. (I also teach technology to non-executives and non-customers -- even retirees.)

I usually work from home but I go on site as needed. I can get my socializing outside of the office; that's where I can truly let my hair down anyway. [Your] work in a church is all about conversation and relationships. To get paid, I have to produce what we call deliverables; to get paid, you just have to interact with and help people. That's why I like teaching; that, and my students laugh at my jokes.

I explain this puzzling desire among some to "retire" from kids by a "been there, done that" mentality -- which to me seems uncomfortably like cynicism or withdrawal. I don't plan to be done holding babies or changing diapers until I can physically no longer do so (in my 90s?). I do think there are two kinds of people: those who choose to always grow and those who choose to recede or fold in on themselves. That's a slippery slope I just prefer to avoid by charging furiously in the opposite direction.